Softball Classic raises funds for Alzheimer’s research

The Cal Poly chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s alumni team won the
annual Sigma Kappa Softball Classic last Saturday in an effort to
raise funds for the Sigma Kappa sorority’s philanthropic
causes.

The win by Sigma Phi Epsilon marks the first time in several
years that a Cal Poly fraternity has won the Classic.

In the final game of the tournament, Sigma Phi Epsilon beat out
the Cal Poly chapter of Phi Tau’s alumni team, 8-7.

“[The win] feels amazing,” said Laura Hendrick, a third-year
communication student and penhellenic delegate for Sigma Kappa who
coached the winning team. “I knew it was going to happen.”

“The winner wins a trophy and a certain amount of money [is]
donated to their organization,” said Kirstie Benavidez, a
third-year liberal studies student and Sigma Kappa member. “Each
team pays a certain amount and goes around with jars to collect
more [money].”

The purpose of the tournament is to raise funds for the Sigma
Kappa Foundation, which sends the funds raised by chapters
nationwide to the philanthropies. It is estimated that this year’s
tournament raised around $3,000.

According to Megan Emami, a fourth-year urban and regional
planning student and former Sigma Kappa chapter president, the
softball team has consistently raised “Just under $5,000 for
softball.”

The decrease in the amount raised this year was greatly
influenced by the number of teams that played in this year’s
double-elimination tournament. The Classic is typically held over
two days in January. However, a rain out postponed the tournament
four months and as a result, this year’s field only included eight
teams instead of the usual 16.

To make up for the deficit, Sigma Kappa plans to have its 29th
anniversary party this November.

The campaign of Sigma Kappa is Ultra-Violet, which benefits
various charitable projects of the sorority.

The main philanthropic cause of Sigma Kappa is the study of
aging, or gerontology, with an emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease
research in addition to programs with the purpose of enhancing the
lives of older people.

Sigma Kappa’s other philanthropic causes are Inherit the Earth,
the sorority’s national service project that combines its interest
in gerontology with benefiting the environment, and the Maine Sea
Coast Mission, which provides development programs such as
spiritual and youth programs.

“The money is collected and then it goes through the Sigma Kappa
[sorority], which distributes money to their philanthropies and
smaller philanthropies,” said Alyssa Hammers, a second-year English
education student and Sigma Kappa Ultra-Violet Softball Tournament
Chair and public relations/web chair.

Although the fraternities played in the tournament, the members
of Sigma Kappa kept themselves busy.

“We’re all assigned a team that we coach,” said Katie Smith, a
third-year business student and member of Sigma Kappa. “[In
addition], someone keeps score [and] we make baskets for them [the
fraternities].”

On or off the playing field, all involved in the tournament had
something to be happy about.

“[I] just wanted to give back to the community,” said Brandon
Mirshafiee, a mechanical engineering alum and member of the
champion Sigma Phi Epsilon alum team.

“I like that it gets everyone together,” said Becky Vincent, a
second-year business student and Sigma Kappa member.

After the tournament ended, the day concluded with a profit
share event at Chili’s in Diamond Bar, where a certain percentage
of all revenue generated over a five-hour window went towards the
sorority.

Even though the Softball Classic is the only sport-related event
hosted by Sigma Kappa during the year, the sorority is involved in
many others.

“[The Classic is] the only one we hold but we participate in Phi
Tau Volleyball, intramurals, powder puff flag football and Greek
Week Olympics,” said Emami.

Despite a four-month delay, the Sigma Kappa sorority of Cal Poly
still made this year’s Softball Classic happen, contributing to
victories both on and off the field.